S.E. Rochelle Reliability Run -March 30th, 2019, Durham NC

Saturday March 30th 2019

All bikes are welcome but the oldest bike to start and finish wins the prize. 

SCHEDULE:

WHEN: Saturday March 30th, 2019

WHERE: James Joyce Irish Pub

                912 W Main St 

                Durham, NC 27701

Noon - 1PM

Registration (FREE)

1 PM - 2PM

Reliability Run (40 mi) and Duke Campus Photo

3PM - Till 

Award to the Oldest Bike to Complete Run

Facebook event link: https://www.facebook.com/events/589235178258323/

1913 & 2013 Reliability Run Vintage Motorbikes from all over the world will started and finished in Durham, NC. A low speed round-trip ride through the Carolina countryside. The ultimate two-wheel attrition test of mechanic and machine. Awards were given to the oldest motorbike successfully completing the ride.  RULES and REGULATIONS: 1) Motorbike must start and finish under own power. 2) Motorbike age determined by manufacturer year, month and serial number. 3) Mechanical stops are allowed but tools an supplies must be stowed on motorbike. 4) This is NOT a race and all local, State and Federal laws must be followed.

Inside Rochelle's Durham shop (photo courtesy of Durham Library).

Sidney Edgar Rochelle (1878-1960) was a veteran, a business man and most importantly to us, a motorcycle enthusiast from Durham, NC, the place a handful of us Ton Up NC boys call home. From 1910 to 1954, SE Rochelle owned and operated the local Harley Davidson/Henderson/Indian dealership formerly located on the corner of Parrish and Corcoran St (and later on Mangum St.) in Durham. This was North Carolina's first Harley Davidson Dealership.

Rochelle not only provided the Durham motorcyclists with bikes, he created a motorcycle community in ways ranging from his promotion of motorcycle related attractions at the local amusement park, to the organization of a riding club and many local versions of the AMA sanctioned Gypsy Day Tour rides. Rochelle's Gypsy Day rides consisted of a round trip from Durham to Greensboro and back. Rochelle's club also traveled all over the USA.

Outside the old shop on Parrish Street, SE Rochelle is 2nd from right. (photo courtesy Durham Library).

Chad and I outside the old 208 Parrish Street location of Rochelle's old shop. It is Dos Perros restaurant now.

Whirl of Death motordome at Lakewood Park in Durham (photo courtesy of Durham Library).

Rochelle's Durham Gypsy Day Tour ride circa 1923  at Trinity College now Duke University.
(photo courtesy of Durham Library)

Durham motorcyclists band together (photo courtesy of Durham Library).

SE Rochelle and his motorcycle club circa 1910 (photo courtesy of Durham Library).

For more information on SE Rochelle, visit the Endangered Durham website, to which I am indebted for much of my knowledge about Mr. Rochelle.

Ton Up NC = Riding, Restoration and Racing of Vintage Motorcycles

-Brian/Chad

SE Rochelle Ride-In, April 15, 2018

What: SE Rochelle Ride-In

When: Sunday, April 15,2018 1:30pm est

Where: Central Park Tavern

704 Rigsbee Ave., Durham, NC 27701

Join us for the 3rd edition of the SE Rochelle “Ride-In” on April 15, 2018 at Durham’s Central Park Tavern to honor one of NC’s legendary motorcyclists, Sydney Edgar Rochelle.

In 1910, during motorcycling’s infancy, Mr.  Rochelle became North Carolina’s first Harley Davidson dealer. In the early 1900’s, a Durhamite could waltz into Sydney’s Radio and Accessories shop at 405 Mangum Street, plop down $300 in cash and roll out on a brand new Harley for “Health, Life and Sport,” as Rochelle’s newspaper ad read. It was a new dawn in transportation and Sydney was ahead of his time. In addition to selling the dream, he lived it. He started a local motorcycle club that took cross country tours, added motorcycling’s legendary wall of death to the festival at Lakewood Park and organized the local AMA Gypsy tour down Route 10 to Greensboro.

A century later in April 2012, with twenty other vintage motorcyclists, we resurrected the historic reliability ride to Greensboro, NC. On old Route 10, we followed in the tiretracks of our two-wheeled forefathers and-in the end- raised a pint to honor our local hero’s contribution to our southern motorcycle heritage. 

While we are not sponsoring a ride this year, we hope that on April 15 you join us at Central Park Tavern to pay homage to SE Rochelle and the legacy of all motorcyclists that preceded us. We suggest riding the oldest bike you own, but bikes of all ages are welcome and if you’re coming from Greensboro we suggest dipping your wheels in RT 10.

Until then, keep the rubber side down and keep your head in the wind.

Ton Up NC at International Motorcycle Show: Atlanta, GA Nov. 15-17, 2013

Please make plans to come visit us at Progressive's International Motorcycle Show at the Cobb Galleria Center (Two Galleria Parkway, Atlanta, GA)  in Atlanta, GA. The event kicks off on Friday, November 15, 2013 at 3:00pm and continues until Sunday, November 17, 2013 at 5:00pm. We will have a booth packed with a ton of our favorite vintage motorcycles, racing memorabilia and information and swag from upcoming Ton Up NC events including the Meltdown, the Rochelle Reliability Run and the Bull City Rumble.

In addition to checking out Ton Up NC's display of pedigreed vintage road/dirt racing machines and a selection of our favorite vintage road bikes, plan on spending the entire weekend exploring isles and isles of motorcycle bliss including: School of Rock, celebrity appearances by some of your favorite riders, J&P Cycles Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show, the XDL Street Jam stunt show/competition, Vintage Clubs, the Marketplace etc. etc. etc. too much to name here. Trust me, its at least two or three days worth of two-wheeled fun (for more show features click here). Come with a credit card or some cash, because I'm sure they'll be a deal on something that you just won't be able to pass up.

We will be bringing the following bikes for our display:

1951 Vincent Black Shadow

1966 Triumph Bonneville T120 TT Special Road Racer

1960 Triumph 5TA Speed Twin

1966 BSA 441 Victor MX Racer

1973 Bultaco Pursang 350 MX Racer

1967 Triton

1966 Norton Atlas

Looking forward to seeing and meeting as many of you as possible there.

For directions to the show, click here.

For info. on tickets to the show, click here. Enter promotional code: TonUpNC for $2 off your ticket.

To confirm your attendance to the show, update or add your status to our Facebook event page here.

Maxim Model, Mayra Tinajero, leaves Ducati and becomes the new Norton girl.

-Brian

TUNC @ International Motorcycle Show: Charlotte, NC

February 22-24, 2013 Charlotte, NC

Please make plans to come visit us at Progressive's International Motorcycle Show at the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, NC. The event kicks off on Friday, February 22 at 4:00pm and continues until Sunday February 24 at 5:00pm. We will have a booth packed with a ton of our favorite vintage motorcycles, racing memorabilia and information and swag from upcoming Ton Up NC events including the Meltdown, the Rochelle Reliability Run and the Bull City Rumble.

In addition to checking out Ton Up NC's display of pedigreed vintage road/dirt racing machines and a selection of our favorite vintage road bikes, plan on spending the entire weekend exploring isles and isles of motorcycle bliss including: The Moto GP Experience, celebrity appearances by some of your favorite riders, J&P Cycles Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show, the XDL Street Jam stunt show/competition, Demo Rides, the Marketplace etc. etc. etc. too much to name here. Trust me, its at least two or three days worth of two-wheeled fun (for more show features click here). Come with a credit card or some cash, because I'm sure they'll be a deal on something that you just won't be able to pass up.

Looking forward to seeing and meeting as many of you as possible there.

For directions to the show, click here.

For info. on tickets to the show, click here.

To confirm your attendance to the show, update or add your status to our Facebook event page here.

-Brian

The S.E. Rochelle Reliability Run

Every Spring in Durham

Pictured: SE Rochelle and Wife, Durham, NC circa 1920something.

In April 2013, Ton Up N*C presented the SE Rochelle Reliability Run as a 100 year tribute tribute to S.E. Rochelle's contribution to North Carolina's motorcycle heritage. Here were the details:

1913 & 2013 Reliability Run Vintage Motorbikes (1969 and Older) from all over the world will started and finished in Durham, NC  via Greensboro, NC (Natty Greene's Brewery). A 120 mile low speed round-trip ride through the Carolina countryside. The ultimate two-wheel attrition test of mechanic and machine. Awards were given to the oldest motorbikes successfully completing the ride. Categories included: British, German, Italian, American, Japanese and Scooter SCHEDULE: Saturday Morning April 6th, 2013 -Launch Location Motorco in Durham, NC: Kickstands Up -Arrive at Greensboro lunch location -Return to Durham, NC -Awards RULES and REGULATIONS: 1) Motorbike must start and finish under own power. 2) Motorbike age determined by manufacturer year, month and serial number. 3) Mechanical stops are allowed but tools an supplies must be stowed on motorbike. 4) This is NOT a race and all local, State and Federal laws must be followed. 5) Route to be posted to pre-registrants 6) Pre-register with name, year, make and model of motorcycle by emailing tonupnc@gmail.com

Inside Rochelle's Durham shop (photo courtesy of Durham Library).

Sidney Edgar Rochelle (1878-1960) was a veteran, a business man and most importantly to us, a motorcycle enthusiast from Durham, NC, the place a handful of us Ton Up NC boys call home. From 1910 to 1954, SE Rochelle owned and operated the local Harley Davidson/Henderson/Indian dealership formerly located on the corner of Parrish and Corcoran St (and later on Mangum St.) in Durham. This was North Carolina's first Harley Davidson Dealership.

Rochelle not only provided the Durham motorcyclists with bikes, he created a motorcycle community in ways ranging from his promotion of motorcycle related attractions at the local amusement park, to the organization of a riding club and many local versions of the AMA sanctioned Gypsy Day Tour rides. Rochelle's Gypsy Day rides consisted of a round trip from Durham to Greensboro and back. Rochelle's club also traveled all over the USA.

Outside the old shop on Parrish Street, SE Rochelle is 2nd from right. (photo courtesy Durham Library).

Chad and I outside the old 208 Parrish Street location of Rochelle's old shop. It is Dos Perros restaurant now.

Whirl of Death motordome at Lakewood Park in Durham (photo courtesy of Durham Library).

Rochelle's Durham Gypsy Day Tour ride circa 1923  at Trinity College now Duke University.
(photo courtesy of Durham Library)

Durham motorcyclists band together (photo courtesy of Durham Library).

SE Rochelle and his motorcycle club circa 1910 (photo courtesy of Durham Library).

For more information on SE Rochelle, visit the Endangered Durham website, to which I am indebted for much of my knowledge about Mr. Rochelle.

Ton Up NC = Riding, Restoration and Racing of Vintage Motorcycles

-Brian/Chad

Updated: 2/5/2014